Teams across West Virginia are trying to find their way into the playoffs in their respective classes.
The Capital Cougars are one of those teams on the outside with a shot of sneaking into the final 16 in Class AAA.
The Cougars enter Week 9 ranked 23rd in the latest WVSSAC playoff ratings. However, theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve dropped their last four games after starting 2-1.
Capital faces another football giant in West Virginia on Friday, as the Cougars will travel to Cabell County to face the Huntington Highlanders.
A win for the Cougars would give them 15 bonus points and a jolt of momentum.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œ(I see) a big, strong and well-coached team,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Capital coach Jon Carpenter said of Huntington. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s all the things you donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t want to see.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
CapitalÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s last loss came to the hands of the Spring Valley Timberwolves, 52-26, on Friday.
The Cougars were down 17-13 with 6:47 left in the third quarter after a David Robinson Jr. scoring run.
However, the Timberwolves outscored Capital 35-13 after the Robinson score.
Carpenter preached after the loss that the Cougars have to continue finding consistency in these final few weeks.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThis group is one of the best-practicing teams that IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve been around,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Carpenter said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe only hard part for me to swallow is that they work extremely hard. ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s hard to explain to young people that these things take time. You donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t get instant gratification.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œTheyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve always worked hard. WeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve had two great days of practice already (this week). IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve been tickled to death about that.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Huntington has won the last four meetings and five of the last six. CapitalÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s last victory over the Highlanders came in 2018, 30-22.
Huntington coach Billy Seals knows what the Cougars are capable of.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI see a dangerous football team,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Seals said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThey have a lot of great athletes on the field. The Robinson kid is as good as anyone weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve seen in the backfield. Their offensive and defensive line play is really good. They can cover people because they have athletes. TheyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re a dangerous football team that continues to get better.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œLast week against Spring Valley, they were down 17-7 at halftime. They seemed to play well. TheyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re continuing to get better, from what IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve seen.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Robinson is coming off a season-high performance against the Timberwolves. The sophomore running back posted 26 carries for 226 yards and four touchdowns, including a 91-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œYou cannot let him get started,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Seals said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œOur defensive line has to do a great job of holding him up a little bit in the backfield. Our linebackers have to be great open-field tacklers and be able to tackle a powerful back like him. ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s going to be a tall task for our defense. We have to try and eliminate Robinson from the game.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Huntington split its first two games of the season. However, the Highlanders have stacked up five straight wins since Sept. 13.
Seals has been impressed with HuntingtonÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s defensive adjustments after allowing Martinsburg to score 47 points in Week 2. The Highlanders have held their last five opponents to a total of 48 points (9.6 per game).
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe experience has helped, which is the greatest teacher,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Seals said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThose first-two-week opponents are different than what weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve played over the last five to six weeks. No disrespect to any of those teams, but Hurricane and Martinsburg are two teams that I could see playing in Charleston when itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s all said and done.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe continue to get better and, as a staff, find things that we do well. The guys have come to work each day.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
CapitalÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s offense has struggled to score during its drought, averaging 21.8 points in its last four games.
The Cougars averaged 29 points in their first three games of the season, including scoring 35 or more points in their wins over Riverside and St. Albans.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe have to block, especially on the edges,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Carpenter said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWhen our guys get into space, we have to block and let them turn those plays into bigger gains. (Huntington is) one of the few teams that play where theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re supposed to play, if that makes sense. TheyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re one of the best-coached defensive teams, year in and year out. Schematically, itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s different. It challenges you to have all your ducks in a row.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Capital leads the all-time series 16-11. The Cougars and Highlanders have split their 12 contests against one another in Huntington.
The Highlanders have won the last four matchups at Bob Sang Stadium.
